Owner Gregg Mercede said he chose sun power for the car wash he opened in January at 229 Greenwich Ave. because “we’re here for the long run. We wanted to provide the very cleanest cars while having a positive impact on the environment.”

He said the thermal panels and another 24 rooftop panels that contain photovoltaic solar cells cut the car wash’s energy consumption by about 50 percent. The photovoltaic panels generate electricity for lights, heat, air-conditioning and car-washing equipment, he said.

An 820-gallon tank stores warm water to use on cloudy days. The remaining half of the car wash’s energy comes from conventional sources.

Mercede, a New Canaan resident, said lower energy consumption helps keep his own costs down, so his prices can be competitive.

Rates range from $8.50 for a basic exterior wash to $49.95 for more extensive services, such as express detailing. Interior vacuuming, intricate waxing and carpet shampooing are done by hand.

Mercede said the Stamford area has enough potential customers to support his enterprise, which employs about 20 workers. “There are no other high-end car washes in this area,” he said. “It definitely fills a void. We also get the Old Greenwich crowd coming through here.”

The city has at least six car washes that are open to the general public.

Mercede, 40, who once worked at the family-owned Frank Mercede & Sons Inc. real estate development firm in Stamford, was the general contractor for construction of the car wash and he owns the 1-acre site that used to house a trunk rental company.

Solar-powered car washes are still a novelty, said Mike Healy, no relation to the writer of this story. Healy owns of Washington, D.C.-based Skyline Innovations, which installed solar equipment at a car wash in Maryland last year.

“It’s a great application for solar heating technology,” he said. “We are hoping to put solar equipment in a lot more car washes in Maryland.”

The car wash is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to www.greenwichavenuecarwash.com for information.